This section provides background information related to the present disclosure and is not necessarily prior art.
Vehicles, especially those designed for off-road applications, typically have a spare wheel and tire assembly (commonly referred to simply as a spare tire) mounted to an exterior of the vehicle. The spare tire is typically mounted to a rear of the vehicle and has a fixed vertical position on the vehicle relative to the ground. In some instances, the vertical position of the spare tire undesirably reduces rear ground clearance. In other instances, the vertical position of the spare tire undesirably reduces visibility through the rear windshield of the vehicle.